Chargers players and staff impressed with highly touted rookie

He spoke to 41 media members before 14 video cameras. He spoke until the questions turned stale. Then, with the Chargers’ PR staff giving reporters their time, Te’o spoke some more as three photographers kept clicking away.

Polished and polite, Te’o gave 33 answers.

More telling about the Chargers linebacker is what those around him had to say.

It’s one thing as a rookie to handle press conferences and community appearances amid a high profile. It’s another to do what, based on sweeping reviews from within Chargers Park, Te’o is in the process of doing, and that is handle the hysteria while acing his football duties.

None of this appears too big for Te’o.

Not the spotlight. Not the playbook. Not the speed of the game.

A respected Chargers staff member with more than a decade of NFL experience praised the 22-year-old’s habits, attitude and performance, calling him Tuesday an “absolute stud.” The second-round pick knows how to work, when to open his mouth and ask questions, and as importantly, when to shut it.

“A-plus,” the staff member added.

“All he does is show up every day and work,” coach Mike McCoy said. “(Linebackers coach) Joe Barry has done a phenomenal job with him. Joe’s put a lot of time in with him. (Te’o) has done a great job of learning all the little details. I think he’s a very intelligent football player, good football awareness and everything, so you see what he learned early on and what he’s done throughout his football career. It was an easy transition coming here. It’s just a matter of learning the language. He’s done a great job.”

This is Te’o’s fourth week working with Chargers veterans.

He has earned their respect in that time, several said.

Some NFL analysts questioned before the draft how Te’o might be received in a locker room, given it’s a place known for the occasional, brotherly jabbing and Te’o became an easy target when a girlfriend hoax surfaced in January. But with his teammates, Te’o has made himself a difficult one.

Little sense in dragging down a teammate who is trying.

Little sense in picking on a player who will be asked to fill a heavy role his rookie year.

“I see what’s going to be a heck of a football player,” center Nick Hardwick said. “He gets good jumps on the snap. He knows where the ball is going. He seems to be really quick to react on it. In the locker room, he’s a cool guy. He’s easy to be around.”

“He’s humble and he has the right attitude,” outside linebacker Larry English said. “He’s not one of those guys you really want to come in and get on and mess with every day because he’s mature and he’s doing a good job working. Plus, a lot of it has to do with the group of guys we have here. Even though we’ve got some new guys, it’s already a tight-knit group. We really want to see everyone succeed.”